A drug addict who helped a gang steal a safe containing £10,000 from a building firm in a Cornish hamlet has been jailed for three years.

Former heroin and cocaine user Mark Chandler, aged 36, helped cut away the safe from its mounting in the Roof Truss Company building near St Austell and drive it away in a pick-up truck.

Chandler, from Launceston, had claimed at Plymouth Crown Court he was forced to take part in the raid because he owed money to a drug dealer.

His sentence was deferred by Judge Peter Johnson earlier this year to see if he could stay off drugs, stay in his job and save money for compensation.

Mark Chandler (Image: Devon and Cornwall Police)

He returned to the court today where prosecutor Emily Cook explained that the safe was found the next day by investigators but the £10,000 it contained was missing along with a number of key documents and account details vital to the company.

She noted how DNA recovered from the saw used to gain access to the safe matched Chandler’s.

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Ms Cook noted how further matters have come to light since Chandler last appeared at court.

She said Chandler had pleaded guilty at Truro Crown Court earlier this week to two matters of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

The gang cut their way in to get to the safe of the Roof Truss Building in the hamlet of Garker (Image: Google)

She said Chandler was stopped in a car on August 11, 2017 by police. He was found in the passenger seat with £210 in cash, a “number of mobile phones” 4.12grams of cocaine in 12 wraps worth £230 and 13.64grams of cannabis worth £140. In addition he was in possession of scales with cocaine residue on it, benzocaine which is frequently used to ‘cut’ cocaine and 250 self-seal bags.

The court heard Chandler was on the phone at the time the vehicle was stopped by police and analysis of his mobile phone had a number of messages which were “indicative” of drugs supply.

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Ms Cook said the messages included 40 recipients being offered cocaine and cannabis for sale.

She noted how Chandler had 34 convictions for 97 offences, including multiple thefts and fraud offences as well as drug offences.

Plymouth Crown Court

Defence solicitor Chris Nicholls claimed his client committed the offences at the behest of a drug dealer and was “very much under his control”. He said the drug dealer was the driver of the car Chandler was found in and had “legged it” and has still not been caught by police.

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Mr Nicholls said his client had found work as a groundworker and had been able to save £300 towards compensating the company he stole the £10,000 from, of which they had received £5,000 insurance.

The gang stole £10,000 from the safe along with a number of vital documents

He noted how Chandler was step-father to his partner’s two children and the couple were expecting their first child together.

Mr Nicholls said his client was “controlled throughout” by the drug supplier and after his partner helped him leave his caravan to avoid any temptations, Chandler returned to collect his belongings only to find clothes, documents and others items had been set on fire by the drugs supplier.

However, Mr Nicholls accepted his client had prepared a “fake letter” to the court which had resulted in the judge deferring the sentence.

Chandler was caught with cocaine and cannabis (Image: Stock image)

Judge Johnson said the theft of the safe was “something approaching a professional burglary”.

He said the matter was magnified by the “false document” presented to the court by Chandler.

He sentenced Chandler to two-and-a-half years for the possession with intent to supply cocaine and six months for the possession with intent to supply cannabis to run concurrently. A further six months for the burglary was to run consecutively, totalling three years.

As Chandler was led away in cuffs by the dock officers he repeatedly mouthed “sorry baby” to a woman in the public gallery.